


Just a Taste

by TWDObsessive



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Accidental Cuddling, And then very purposeful cuddling, Bottom Daryl, Cuddling & Snuggling, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff and Smut, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Napping, Rickyl, Sleeping Together, Top Rick, Why can't I stop writing this stuff?, and then more than cuddling, is there a 12-step program for fanfic addicts?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-04
Updated: 2015-06-04
Packaged: 2018-04-02 19:09:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4071316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TWDObsessive/pseuds/TWDObsessive
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An AU where the group is together and on the run during the winter after Terminus like they were during the winter after the barn burned. </p><p>Rick and Daryl get sent upstairs for some much needed rest after a night on watch.  Spoiler alert- they won't be resting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just a Taste

**Author's Note:**

> This is an unbeta'd drabble to occupy me while I'm immersed in working on a new chaptered fic.

The long winter after Terminus was just as bad as their first winter after the barn burned. Once again, a group of mostly strangers turned into a single organism. They had the ability to move in silence like a lion seeking prey. They could attack like fire ants, working together more on autopilot than with any thoughtful planning. And they slept together like a litter of kittens.

Rick led as they went home to home, clearing, staying until the house ran out of food and then moved on to another like vultures taking the spoils of what a more powerful enemy already destroyed. Daryl was always a step behind Rick. And the rest followed quietly, shivering and bundled in clothes accumulated from various stops.

Speaking became less and less necessary. The cold was unbearable with no manufactured heat. Their evenings were spent together in living rooms, with mattresses and couch cushions laid out on the floor. All the blankets from whatever home they were in would be spread out over a pile of bodies. The body heat did more than the blankets and the group slept tight.

Sleeping arrangements became habit. Glenn and Maggie always against eachother. Rosita and Abraham. Eugene and Tara. Carol and Michonne. Next to Michonnne, Carl slept on one side of Rick and Judith on the other. And bookending Judith, was Daryl. 

Often, either Rick or Daryl were on watch, but when both were sleeping the priority was warmth for Judith and second was warmth for themselves. Their arms often twisted together as they'd adjust during the night trying to keep part of their bodies against the baby. 

As the winter grew colder, Rick had started scooting his legs over against the hunter desperate to give and take as much body heat as he could. And soon Daryl's arm went from tight to his chest with the forearm over the baby to a fully stretched arm, Judith in the crook and the forearm resting over Rick's chest.

As the week's passed, the twists and turns of the group's sleeping arrangements morphed. Carl felt a surge of big brother responsibility and Judith began taking up residence between Rick and his son. Daryl stayed next to Rick, but now closer, one usually spooning against the other. Rick was the first to start using his arms to pull the stubborn hunter close for warmth. 

"Sorry," he'd mumble every time, "just so fucking cold."

Daryl would grunt in response and Rick knew that translated into "no problem." Then Daryl would relent and try to get as close as he could. Sometimes he'd take one of Rick's hands as it draped over him and use his two hands to rub some warmth into it. Rick would murmur a thanks.  
............  
Daryl and Rick were on watch one night, with one stationed in the front of the house and one in the back. At 6 am they were both swapped out by Abraham and Tara. 

The rest of the family had started to rise so Carol chased the boys upstairs. The winter was dying off and the need for the swarm of body heat wasn't as necessary. 

"There's two rooms upstairs. Sleep in a bed for once. We're all up and we have things covered. You guys need sleep."

The men grumbled a bit about just grabbing a nap on the two couches, but Carol ultimately won. Rick walked into the first bedroom off the upstairs hall and Daryl went on to the second.

Daryl shut the door and pulled off shoes and jeans. The first time he's slept without stiff dirt-caked jeans since the prison. He looked forward to a comfortable sleep. Had all expectations that he'd drop right off but sleep didn't come. He gnawed a nail. Tossed and turned. Felt too exposed and alone. 

Rick also tried to get real sleep. His Python, knife, machete and belt were on the nightstand. Jeans and shirt were folded on the dresser. He crawled into the covers in just his boxers. Tired and comfortable but something was missing. His people. 

They were never alone anymore in this world. On paper, chasing them upstairs to sleep cozy in beds was a good idea, but it was no longer familiar.

Rick laid in bed, eyes wide open, arms crossed behind his head and he stared at the ceiling. Sleep was so far away he'd need binoculars to find it. 

The sun was coming up slowly to an overcast sky and 30 minutes had passed. A soft knock stirred him from his trance. 

"Yah?" He said.

The door opened. Daryl stood there chewing a thumbnail in his boxers and a tank.

"Y'ok?" Rick asked sitting up in the darkened room.

"Can't sleep," Daryl said quietly.

"Me either."

They kept their glance and spoke through it. Rick lifted the covers and Daryl pulled the door shut behind him and padded barefoot across the room. He climbed into the bed like a child after a nightmare and curled up facing away from Rick. The leader pulled the covers up to both their chins and spooned the hunter, slipping an arm around him. 

"Sorry," Daryl murmured, "just felt weird all alone. Couldn't relax."

"S'ok. I couldn't sleep either," and after a pause he said, "this feels better."

Daryl grunted. 

The hunter dozed quickly in Rick's embrace, put right at ease in the man's arms. 

Rick, however, was still awake and tortured. He didn't realize until he lay restless and alone that last half hour how much he needed Daryl in his arms.

It wasn't as cold now that spring was around the corner, but Rick rubbed Daryl's muscled arm to warm him anyway. The blankets dropped off Daryl shoulder and Rick stared at the bare skin there. He was confused enough about needing Daryl in his bed but he could understand it. It had become habit. That made sense, but this overwhelming desire to lick Daryl's upper arm had no rational basis. 

Daryl breathed heavy in slumber while Rick moved his hand to rest on the hunter's exposed shoulder, rubbing his thumb gently over a spot that he was dying to taste.

Daryl had drifted into a brief cat nap in Rick's arms but woke hard, again. It's been happening more and more. The group was probably starting to worry he had a bladder infection or something the way he keeps jumping up in the mornings running out to "take a piss" before anyone else is up.

He woke to more than just a hard on though, as he registered the feel of Rick gently rubbing a thumb over his shoulder. Dumbass. That shit ain't gonna help nothing. Rick knows Daryl's been having issues cause more often than not he'd be pressing the damn thing up against Rick when they woke. 

Daryl didn't feel too terribly guilty though cause it worked both ways and Daryl woke with Rick's wood against him plenty too. Up until this point they both ignored those incidents. 

Suddenly Daryl felt something warm and wet trail along his shoulder.

"Rick?"

"Yah?"

"Did you just lick me?"

"Uh. Yah." The leader said after it was clear he wasn't going to be able to think up an explanation to go with the confession.

"Why?" Daryl asked softly.

"Wanted to taste you, I guess. Don't really know."

"Well?"

"Well what?"

Daryl turned around under the covers to face his leader. "How do I taste?"

After a moment of careful reflection Rick responded, "Like dirt and salt and strength." 

"Sound disgusting." Daryl said deadpan. 

"No, it's good. I like it. Would've made a great Ben and Jerry's flavor."

Daryl grinned in his awkward "you'd only know it was a grin if you knew him" sort of grin and sat up a little. Braced up on one arm he slid the blanket off Rick's bare shoulder. He eyed up the general spot that Rick had tasted, looked back to Rick, his eyes filled with "I want to taste you, too." And Rick nodded almost imperceptibly.

Rick kept the hunter's gaze expecting him to lower his mouth to his shoulder, but instead he leaned closer and licked into Rick's opened mouth, then pulled away without even touching lips.

Rick was stunned at first, then his eyes asked the hunter what he tasted. 

"Tastes like sex." Daryl said nervously. He laid back down and faced Rick, waiting.

After Rick felt Daryl's tongue lick against his own, he knew it would be ok. Something had been evolving between them. There was no doubt.

Rick put a hand into Daryl's hair and brushed it away from his face. "Can I... Can I taste more of you?" Rick whispered.

Daryl got out of the bed and headed to the door. Rick's heart sank. He felt sure they'd made the right connection there. As Rick tried desperately to think of something to say about it being ok or apologizing, Daryl reached the door, locked it and returned to the bed, climbing back in and facing Rick.

"Thought you were leaving," Rick said, relieved.

"Nah, I like the taste of sex,"  
Daryl said from behind long lashes and nervous eyes.

And at that Rick leaned over Daryl and kissed him slowly on the mouth, reaching for his tongue. It was like a slow motion movie kiss, giving Daryl plenty of time to stop it, but there was no push back, only Daryl's mouth open in return with soft, dry lips and a curious tongue. 

Rick's hands were in the hunter's hair and he groaned as he felt Daryl's hands below the covers slide up his sides and around his back, pulling him close, both erections rock hard and pressed against each other.

"This is ok, right?" Rick asked between kisses.

"Mhm," Daryl groaned awkwardly licking at the roof of Rick's mouth, not wanting to miss any of it.

As they stopped for breath Daryl said, "might as well just take care of it here, right? Easier than runnin' outside in the cold to jack it."

"Yah, it's just being practical," Rick said as he started licking and sucking on Daryl's neck. The hunter rolled his hips back and forth, stretched his head back for Rick and moaned so low and gritty it sounded like a cross between a purr and a growl. Rick reached down and cupped one of Daryl's ass cheek's while continuing to suck and nibble and bite at his neck.

"Rick.."

"Yah?"

"You leave a hickey and everyone's gonna be talkin'"

"Ah, shit. Yah. Sorry." Rick wiped the back of his hand across his mouth.

"S'alright. I know I taste irresistible. Why ya think I'm always sucking on my fingers or bitin' on a nail?"

Their hips slowed. And their hands explored each other slowly. 

"Yah, about that. You gotta stop that shit. S' driving me nuts. People soon gonna notice i gotta disappear every time you finish a meal and lick these digits," The leader said and he took hold of a hand that the hunter was using to thumb over Rick's nipple. 

Rick sucked on Daryl's index finger, then the next and continued slowly through the whole hand. 

"Ok, yah," Daryl said. "I can see how that could be distracting."

Daryl's hips started rocking again.

"What are you gonna let me do here," Rick asked, voice thick and deep.

"Rick, you can do any damn thing you want to 's long as it ends with both of us coming in this bed," Daryl said with his raspy drawl. "We're moving on in the morning, we won't even need to wash the sheets."

Rick looked at the soft light tickling the edges of drawn shades and dark curtains. "Almost mornin' now" he said.

"Better hurry then," the hunter whispered.

Rick reached down for Daryl's worn boxers and gripped them at the opening, literally ripping them off the hunter's body.

"Holy Fuck," Daryl whispered  
as Rick tossed the damaged pair of drawers off the side of the bed and started climbing out of his own under the blankets. 

"Check that nightstand for lube," Rick instructed as he started rifling through the one on his side. 

"Jack pot!" Daryl exclaimed excited.  
And after looking closer, he added "oh, edible too in case you needed to know." He handed it to Rick who was the leader in all things and would be in this as well. 

Rick looked at it. "Gotta be honest, I haven't got a clue what I'm doing."

"Use your imagination," Daryl said.

Rick thought, caressing Daryl with the eyes of a hungry predictor. "Get up on your hands and knees," he whispered. 

Daryl obeyed as Rick started lubing some fingers. "Saw this is a porn once," he said, "but stop me if it hurts."

"Fucking want it to hurt, want you to split me open," Daryl growled.

"Jesus Fuck, that's hot," the leader whispered.

"Got THAT from a porn," Daryl said with humor in his voice. 

Rick had his finger pressing and massaging around the hunter's entrance. 

"Enough, Rick. Jesus. Put it in. Put something IN."

"You're a demanding lay, Daryl." Rick said as he pushed a finger in and started pumping it,

Daryl sounded like he had a clever retort but couldn't deliver it because his voice was commandeered by one long, low gasp. 

"Feel good?" Rick asked

"Fuck, yah," Daryl groaned, "More."

Rick inserted a second finger and pumped a few times before removing them and lubing his cock.

"Rick," Daryl moaned, empty now and rocking back and forth as Rick slathered on the lube. "Rick, fucking fuck me." Daryl demanded through clenched teeth.

Rick fought his way into a hole unfamiliar with such an action, but once inside, Daryl grasped onto Rick's cock tight and desperate. The leader moved in and out slow. He reached around and grabbed Daryl's cock and the hunter put his hand on top, guiding Rick as he stroked. 

The hunter dropped his hands and chest to the bed, offering his ass higher for Rick. "Harder," he cried, "Fuck me, harder, Rick."

The leader clenched onto Daryl's hips and slammed deep inside him, in and out until he stilled, whispering "Jesus, Jesus," as his cock emptied inside the hunter. And Daryl below him groaned, his hips grinding into the bed for a bit more friction and then he cried out, a symphony of garbled sounds without meaning.

Rick pulled out and rolled over, staring back at the ceiling and Daryl collapsed in his own cum.

And before either could even consider acknowledging what happened, they were both fast asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Just some fluff and smut to break up the D/s piece I'm working on. That one will start posting once I have a few chapters completed and beta'd.
> 
> If you feel like leaving me a comment to let me know what you thought of this one, it would totally make up for my lack of sleep! I love to hear from you guys!
> 
> In the meantime- if you are looking for some D/s- drop everything and read The Air of Institution by HalfBloodDeviant. OMG!! It's an instant classic and it's being updated very quickly!


End file.
